ex·tra·ter·res·tri·al
ˌek-strə-tə-ˈre-strē-əl 
-ˈres-chəl,
-ˈresh-chəl
: originating, existing, or occurring outside the earth or its atmosphere
extraterrestrial life
: a being from another world : an extraterrestrial being
Examples of extraterrestrial in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Graham Kates, CBS News, 24 Feb. 2026
From a distance, Sawgrass Mills looks almost extraterrestrial, an immense and alien form landed in the barren suburban Broward landscape.
—Miami Herald Archives, Miami Herald, 23 Feb. 2026
Lori Waxman, Chicago Tribune, 25 Feb. 2026
How are scientists searching for extraterrestrials?
—Lee Billings, Scientific American, 20 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for extraterrestrial
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Adjective
Questions about what the federal government may know about extraterrestrial life in the cosmos — or possibly even here on Earth — have inspired imaginations, conspiracy theories, sci-fi literature and blockbuster films.
—Graham Kates, CBS News, 24 Feb. 2026
From a distance, Sawgrass Mills looks almost extraterrestrial, an immense and alien form landed in the barren suburban Broward landscape.
—Miami Herald Archives, Miami Herald, 23 Feb. 2026
Noun
In the Mojave, Weston saw Joshua trees as majestic extraterrestrials; Connell documents a nameless stump decorated with sneakers.
—Lori Waxman, Chicago Tribune, 25 Feb. 2026
How are scientists searching for extraterrestrials?
—Lee Billings, Scientific American, 20 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for extraterrestrial
Cite this Entry
“Extraterrestrial.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/extraterrestrial. Accessed 4 Mar. 2026.
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